


"Trauma leaves many things-"

by Lady_Of_The_Stars



Category: RWBY
Genre: 5+1 Things, Childhood Trauma, Hurt/Comfort, I'm but the jester in this here court of monarchs, Past Abuse, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trauma, i'm sorry if i got anything wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:00:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27981915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Of_The_Stars/pseuds/Lady_Of_The_Stars
Summary: "but what it leaves most is opportunity."In which Jaune sees far too much of himself in Oscar.Or Five times Jaune makes Oscar flinch, and the one time he didn’t.Aka Cardin is an asshole and I get to make up Oscar’s backstory.
Relationships: Jaune Arc & Oscar Pine, Ozpin & Oscar Pine
Kudos: 42





	"Trauma leaves many things-"

1 - When it first happened he thought it was just Oscar being jumpy around new people. I mean they had met the boy only a day ago so he’d be a little skittish. It was an early morning so maybe that had a factor to it as well. Jaune was waiting for his toast when a blanket wrapped Oscar sleepily shuffled in, mumbling incoherent sentences. Maybe he was talking to Ozpin again. Another reason as to why he was so spooked. As Oscar grumbled, cursing his height while reaching for a mug Jaune smiled, “Here.” Putting a hand on Oscar’s shoulder was the worst decision he made that day. As he put his hand down to keep the boy in place while he grabbed the mug and set it down Oscar seemed to curl inwards like some kind of plant protecting itself. Jaune set down the mug and didn’t acknowledge it, only rushing over to his no longer toast but charcoal bread. Oscar muttered more quietly as he speedily mixed some hot cocoa and pulled the blanket closer to himself. To be fair it was very chilly when the sun hadn’t warmed the entire world yet from the cold starless night. But Jaune simply paid no mind while smothering his poor breakfast in jam and butter.

2 - The next time he saw it he assumed it had to be training reflexes because they just finished. Maybe he might’ve been sore as well. It was about the second week they were training. Jaune was proud of the boy for lasting so much longer than previous times. Oscar quietly muttered to Ozpin before snorting and holding back laughter. As they were just about to split off while walking up the stairs, Jaune gave him a friendly hair ruffle. He was suddenly met with a scampering Oscar, whipping around like he was a frail bunny nipped by a lion. Jaune held up his hands in surrender, “Woah there!” The freckled boy seemed to be biting his tongue before giving a scratchy and stuttery, “P-Please warn me n-next time. I-I-I’m sorry gotta go.” Maybe he was just not used to physical contact? The blond didn’t dwell longer before walking off to chug down some water.

3 - By the third time he was suspicious but tried to believe something else. Maybe he was tired? Maybe he still was a bit messed up from Haven? But none of that made sense. They were loading onto the train, ticking away bags and calling dibs on bunks. Oscar was fiddling with his bag and digging through it when Jaune finally remembered where he put his scroll. Of course with his outstanding height he picked the highest shelf above where Oscar grumbled, shoving his head into the pack. Jaune only set a firm hand onto his shoulder, easy to break from but a simple warning of not to move as Jaune expertly didn’t accidentally drop the heavy bag with a certain sword sharpener for Crocea Mors. Finally grabbing the device the larger looked down at feeling a shaking under his hand. There digging without a true goal and glazed eyes shaking in fear was the farm boy. Jaune quickly lifted his hand. That was too familiar. The distant look, the quick movements, the quivering. A faint memory of a sweet hearted red head gently walking him up and down the halls while talking him out made him quietly mutter sorry before going back to his own spot.

4 - Once the fourth time came around Jaune was convinced that it had to be maybe Ozpin’s memories and Oscar’s memories mixed together. But Ozpin told him otherwise. Oscar was once again degrading himself saying things like “It’s fine, I’m just Ozpin.” And “I know I’m a burden.” Jaune, running on 5 hours of sleep and Wiess’s extreme espresso coffee, was extremely slap happy, heavy on the slap. Decided it would be an okay enough thing to slap the back of Oscar’s head, mostly in a teasing way but maybe Jaune used too much force. But when he tapped him really suddenly Oscar seized up and a flash of yellow later, the formal tone of Ozpin waved forward,  **“Oscar? I-“**

But the soul stopped, and Jaune was now realizing he fucked up. So he quickly spluttered out, “Shit, I’m so so sorry professor Ozpin, can you please tell Oscar that I didn’t mean anything!”

**“Oscar what does he- Ah I see. No no, it’s alright, take your time. I’ve been wanting to make some hot cocoa Anyways.”** And off Ozpin walked, causing Jaune to follow. The Arc didn’t ask any further as the ghost of his professor continued to walk his way down to the kitchen explaining things,  **“Well mister Arc, Oscar says that he understands but he still is jumpy around others as he puts it. While I can’t explain anymore, I suggest that it’d be best to make note of not hitting him when he doesn’t know.”** And so Jaune did, he wrote it right down in his scroll, gave a nod to the two, now drinking hot chocolate and sat in the far corner, mumbling away.

5 - By now Jaune had completely fucked up. As he finally sees exactly why Oscar is so much like him. Jaune starred in rage and shock as Oscar held his hands up, eyes squeezed shut as he froze deer in the headlights still in the older’s grasp. “Jaune! Knock it off!” Ruby shouted out to him, he looked back at her incredulously, how could she just say that when a liar could be listening to everything they say? He looked to Oscar, he was too much like Ozpin, and too much like him. He finally let go huffing as he stomped up the stairs, not looking back. This was way too familiar for him. And he hated it. He hated remembering all the shit he was put through in school with Cardin being an asshole. And he hated remembering how Pyrrah was always unable to get him to talk louder than a mutter. Scratch that, he didn’t hate remembering Pyrrha. But as he sat in his room, brooding a thought came to him from the red sash he so loved. Oscar was Jaune in this scenario, and who ever hurt him like that was his Cardin. But there was no way anyone else could be Pyrrha to Oscar, for Ruby it went over her head, Yang, Blake, and Wiess are too deep in family issues and mental trauma to begin helping, Nora would just try to go on a witch hunt and break their knees, and Ren was still waking up each night screaming about the Nuckelavee. So Jaune needed to step up his game and be the amazing person that Pyrrah so was.

+1 - Oscar is a mess trying to not cry while making a casserole. Jaune can sympathize. The teams had broken off to go and find the boy after running. Jaune opted to go alone after hearing from Ruby that Oscar seemed really spooked about the whole ordeal, short breath, watery eyes, shaky everything, and an abnormally quiet voice. He knew way too much from just so little. So he did a few loops before going back to the house, hoping the boy had finally come home. And home he was, so quietly cooking while fumbling over his own hands, taking shuddering breaths before finally picking up the glass container and turning. Jaune had been shot before but this shot was more painful, to see the collective fear and panic in the hazel eyes he had grown to know as a friend and now suddenly looking like a corner prey animal. They didn’t say a word as Oscar shook holding the container until Jaune softly walked forward, grabbing the casserole and placing it down onto the counter as Oscar seemed frozen until Jaune gently crouched down, pulling the other close in a soft hug easy to break from but instead Oscar hiccuped hugging back, “I-I’m s-” “Don’t be. I was the one who got angry.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jaune could remember Pyrrah asking him the same thing in the same gentle and caring tone. Oscar nodded, “Yeah, I-I just don’t want t-to leave the casserole out cold.”

So Jaune helped the boy place the glass container in, set the timer, and sat down the boy, being careful with his mentally shaken and stirred state of mind. Jaune softly rubbed his arm with his knuckles, something Pyrrah did when he was like this, it helped calm him enough to focus slightly, it seemed to do the same with Oscar.

And so Oscar’s snow globe of trauma finally was smashed down after so many times Jaune shook it far too much. And he listened. It was the best Jaune could do after wrecking his havoc on the boy. Oscar went on and on to explain his parents horrible tendencies. Describing things that he was far too young to know. Jaune just did like Pyrrah did, soft words, gentle touches, and understanding eyes. “And that’s why I have to wear this,” and there he pointed to the bandages stark white around his cinnamon tone neck. Jaune didn’t say anything and Oscar took a deep breath, in for 7, hold for 4, out for 8. This was him opening his boundaries. A big step. Jaune mentally smiled before going pale at seeing the horror on Oscar’s skin. Deep dark scars ran rampant on him, some even deadly, leaving smile-like curves on his neck. And there were more that weren’t cuts but- “Dear Brothers.” Jaune’s quiet mutter didn’t go unnoticed as Oscar began to wrap the bandages up again. But Jaune could see too clearly bullet scars and burns,  _ Gods Pyrrah give me the strength not to hug him without asking. _

So he did ask, “Oscar, can I hug you? You don’t have to say yes I just-“

A mini tackle to the gut, as Oscar shook in Jaune’s arms. And they stayed like that, Jaune rocking softly while Oscar garbled our words with no meaning. And Brothers be damned, Jaune was not going to let Oscar go. Not like he let Pyrrah.

Epilogue - And Jaune never did let go as the group came back around Jaune played bodyguard and told everyone to back off until Oscar could get his words out. So over dinner that night Oscar spoke his words uncertain and anxious, a plea more so then a speech. To see the new and not the past, to see past the dark and look towards the light, to see hope instead of doubt, fear, and distrust, to see Oscar and Ozpin not the mistakes, be it theirs or their past lives.

The teams took to the speech easily enough, Jaune’s sister and her family were slightly confused until Jaune explained in complete and total iffy lies, “Oh yeah Oscar kinda has this semblance where he comes back in a new form each time and can remember his past life sorta and he was once upon a time our teacher Ozpin but he passed on and now he’s in Oscar and with us now because he still has a few things to finish up before retiring.”

It wasn’t that bad but dear brothers the quietly panicking faces of the team explained that the whole situation was still fucked up, but Saffron just nodded and seemed to click pieces together, “Well then, as long as you guys are all okay and not fighting anymore then I’m not gonna question it any further then. Now it’s a little late for a certain little man! Yes it is!”

Her baby voice came out as she scooped up Adrien, talking to him like a true mother. And off she went, Terra just didn’t ask and went off to finish some work. And it was that night while the rest slept and kept in their rooms Oscar sat in the backyard, staring into the stars Jaune didn’t say anything, only placing a blanket next to the boy and hoping he’d remember to come in.


End file.
